Saving the Villain

"Eat well, Maxen."

Maxen pressed his lips into a thin line, nodding at Gretchen. Cosette was across from Maxen, and beside her was her grandmother. Meanwhile, Conrad was sitting beside Maxen while Marcel was in the head seat.

"So you must be Maxen." Marcel raised his chin with a firm expression. He didn't notice him earlier because his anger towards his son was still hot. But now that they had seated while the maids in the residence served the dinner, Marcel finally had time to scrutinize Maxen.

"Don't get intimidated by him," Conrad chimed in as he picked up the cutler, not casting anyone a glance.

"This brat —"

"Nana Chen, did you bring this?" Cosette raised her sweet voice to get Gretchen's attention, smiling from ear to ear.

"Of course. I remembered you said you liked them, so I made a lot and brought them here."

"Thank you, Nana," Cosette's smile grew sweeter before flashing Marcel that same sweet smile. She then faced Maxen, nodding slightly as a signal to greet her grandfather.

"It's a pleasure to meet you…" Maxen trailed off, biting his tongue, not knowing how to address Marcel or even Gretchen. Should he call Marcel chairman? But Marcel had retired a long time ago, and everything was passed down to Conrad.

In other words, Conrad wasn't only the CEO of the BLK Corporation but also, the current chairman. The reason Conrad had so much power over the company was because of that. If only Marcel knew how cocky his son could be, he wouldn't have passed his shares just so he could mess with Conrad.

Maxen wasn't still sure if he should call him sir, as well. Definitely, he couldn't call Marcel's grandfather, right?

"Grandpa is just a grandpa now." Cosette chuckled, glancing at Marcel. "Maxen should call you grandpa, right, grandpa?"

Marcel frowned and let out a faint huff, making Gretchen step in.

"Of course." Gretchen smiled warmly at Maxen while squeezing Marcel's hand. "You can call him Grandpa and Grandma like how Cosette called us. We're both retired, but whatever you are comfortable with."

"Alright…" Maxen awkwardly nodded, making Cosette and Gretchen chuckle. "Nana Chen."

Seeing the grandmother and granddaughter duo, Maxen couldn't help but mentally rock his head. Maxen never asked, but Cosette and Conrad were too different. Cosette was like a ball of sunshine, while Conrad was like the winter. But now that he was looking at Gretchen and Cosette, Maxen finally understood where Cosette had got her warm personality.

There was no doubt Cosette was Gretchen's granddaughter.

​ "Hmph!" Marcel's frown deepened, catching Maxen, Cosette, and Gretchen's attention. Seeing the old man's reaction, Maxen pressed his lips into a thin line.

'Did he feel offended?' wondered Maxen, only to catch Cosette moving her brow up and down to give him a hint.

"Uhm…" Maxen cleared his throat, grasping the subtle hint from Cosette. "It's nice to meet you, Grandpa. My name is Maxen."

"I know your name is Maxen." Marcel also cleared his throat, but his tone suddenly went milder when Maxen called him grandpa. "Don't be so stiff, boy. Don't take after this son of mine who couldn't even hold a proper conversation."

"The only conversation I can hold are objects that have a little bit of substance."

"This —"

"I'm not accepting the Stones to my residence. If you really want, they can come over for dinner tomorrow. However, they won't sleep in my house." Conrad abruptly cut Marcel off, facing him squarely. "I hope I made myself clear, Father."

Marcel's expression hardened, while Gretchen sighed.

"If you really don't want to, then we can just invite them over for dinner." Gretchen waited for Conrad to look back at her. "You don't need to speak like that to your father, Conrad."

"He will not stop unless I speak cruelly to him," Conrad defended himself calmly, but then, noticed Cosette's frown. "I'm sorry."

"Goodness… this is the first time we will meet Maxen, and you two just don't stop fighting." Gretchen shook her head, disheartened and alarmed at her husband and son's worsening relationship. "Please don't mind them, Maxen."

"No, Nana Chen. I'm alright. Thank you," Maxen replied politely, seeing Gretchen sporting a thin smile.

With that being said, everyone ate in silence. Although Maxen said he was alright and he didn't mind the argument that was going on, their silence was just as worse. Maxen had to watch his breathing, listening to the sound of cutleries hitting the plates.

Maxen then glanced up at Cosette, noticing her somber mood at the moment. Although she was eating, she wasn't like as lively as she normally would.

Out of nowhere, Cosette's quiet and soft voice pierced the stifling silence.

"I don't like Ezekiel Stone," she said, lifting her head to meet Marcel and Gretchen's eyes. "I know our Blac Family and the Stone Family had strong ties, but I don't like Ezekiel Stone."

"Dear, did he offend you?"

"No. He was nice, but I don't want us to get engaged." Her response was unfaltering and straight to the point. "I want to marry Maxen someday, not Ezekiel."

"..." Maxen nearly choked on his own breathing at her last remarks. That was so out of the blue!

"Dear, you are too young to be thinking like that," said Gretchen worriedly. "We're not thinking of marrying you off. Even if we do, I don't think your dad will even approve of it unless you don't want to."

"I know, Nana Chen." Cosette faced Gretchen squarely. "But I'm afraid the Stone will have these sorts of ideas since we keep inviting them over."

Gretchen smiled, chuckling. "Of course not."

"The Stones had been with me during the worst time of my life. But that doesn't mean I will marry my princess off," Marcel remarked firmly. "And I'm not letting you marry this young man. I will only approve of it after eighty years."

"Cozie will be too old for that," Conrad chimed in calmly.

"Hah. Then at what age will you plan to let her marry?" Marcel inquired with a tinge of ridicule to his son.

"Fifty years is fair."

Cosette's face distorted upon hearing Conrad's reply. Fair? How was that fair?

"That's too young! Seven!"

"Fifty."

"Sixty-five."

"Fifty."

Cosette and Maxen listened to Marcel and Conrad as if they were simply haggling while Gretchen shook her head in disappointment.

"Cozie, don't listen to them, alright?" Gretchen faced Cosette once more and smiled. "Your dad and grandpa just understand nothing about women. Marry whenever you are ready, hmm? And don't worry about the Stone. We have close ties with them, but they won't force anything like that."

Cosette pressed her lips into a thin line. "Can I get engaged to Maxen?"

"No!" Marcel slammed the bottom of his fist against the table, while Conrad kept his calm.

"Not yet," was Conrad's response.

"It's still too young for you and Maxen to get engaged." Gretchen chuckled, finding Cosette a little cute at how her granddaughter's eyes twinkled upon the mention of engagement. "Moreover, before you asked us for permission, you should consider Maxen's thoughts about it as well."

"Right, Maxen?" Gretchen flashed Maxen a gentle smile.

Maxen opened and closed his mouth, but no words came out. All he could do was offer them a short smile, then gaze at Cosette. The latter shrugged, feigning ignorance of the gravity of the matter. But what surprised Maxen the most was not Cosette's abrupt bringing up of engagement, but her grandparent's and Conrad's reaction.

At the moment, Conrad and Marcel were still arguing, while Cosette and Gretchen were having their own discussion. Gretchen would constantly look at Maxen and ask him questions so he wouldn't be left out. The three purposely ignored the banter between Conrad and Marcel, treating it as mere noise that shouldn't even need comprehension.

"Boy." Maxen flinched when Marcel suddenly slammed the bottom of his fist against the table.

"Dear, why do you need to always slam your fist on the table?" Gretchen frowned. "That's not a good habit, dear. We're eating."

Marcel let out a simple huff, but his aura slightly became tamed. "Ahem! I'm not allowing you to marry my granddaughter."

"Marcel —"

"Unless she's fifty-one," Marcel added, and Conrad nodded. That was the age the two agreed. "Do you understand, boy?"

"My goodness…" Gretchen pinched the bridge of her nose, ashamed at Conrad and Marcel. "Maxen, don't listen to them."

"This is why your son grew up into such a disrespectful man!"

"Respect is earned."

"No, you did not!" Marcel's nostrils flared.

Gretchen threw her hands up, giving up on them. She could only look back at Cosette helplessly, and then at Maxen.

"Get used to it, Max," said Gretchen with her naturally soft voice. "You'll hear them banter like this more often. Just pretend you don't hear them."

"Hear, what?" asked Cosette, making Gretchen chuckle.

"Just like that." Gretchen rocked her head, pleased, gazing back at Maxen. "Alright? Try to enjoy your food, or I'll prepare you more snacks later."

Maxen nodded weakly, and they continued eating while Marcel rambled on and on while Conrad seemed to have mentally blocked his ears. He expected a more stiff atmosphere since he was meeting Cosette's grandparents, but unlike what he thought, they were more open and kind.

And with this obstacle revealing itself as nothing but an obstacle he had in mind. Before Maxen knew it, his entire body relaxed and a short yet genuine smile resurfaced on his handsome face. His heart felt warm.

He was welcomed into this family, and they made sure he knew that.